Llamas rescue endangered fish by carrying them up mountain

Rare endangered fish are being saved from the effects of global warming by taking a trip up a Cumbrian mountain on the backs of llamas.

The Environment Agency decided action needed to be taken to preserve the future of the vendace, which has been in Britain since the Ice Age.

Llamas have been helping to preserve the future of the vendace fish.

It is thought that Derwentwater is the only site where the fish can be found in England and Wales, but warmer temperatures could put the future of the species at risk.

The Environment Agency therefore decided to move 25,000 fish eggs from the hatchery on Derwentwater to a cooler stretch of water in the Lake District mountains, Sprinkler Tarn.

However, the rocky and uneven route made it impossible to use conventional transport on the journey, so a group of llamas were drafted in.

Lord Chris Smith, chairman of the Environment Agency, suggested that climate change is having a direct impact on rare UK wildlife.

‘In addition to the anticipated warming of lakes and rivers, we may also see an increase in the occurrence of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves.

‘All of these could have an impact on much of the native wildlife in England, especially aquatic species such as the rare and specialised vendace, so we are taking action now to conserve the existing populations.’

Other species on the UK’s endangered list include the Scottish wildcat, the long-eared owl, the water vole and the bumblebee.